Improvement in invalid-bedsteads



W. HUNTRESS. INVALID-BEDSTEAD.

Patented Nov. 9, 1875.

WITNESSES N PETERS, PHOTO-LITHQGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, D C.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM HUNTRESS, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN" INVALIDeBEDSTEADS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 169,705, dated November9, 1875; application filed September 17, 1875.

To allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HUNTRESS, of ltichmond, in the county ofHenrico and State of Virginia, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Invalid-Beds, of which the following is a specification:

Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section of my improved bed, takenthrough the line 00 m, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a top view of the bedstead, themattress being removed.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is to furnish an improved bed, which shallbe so constructed that it may be readily arranged for the invalid tomake his evacuations without being rcmoved from the bed, and without anydanger ofsoiling the mattress, which may also be used as an ordinary bedfor sleeping purposes, and which shall be simple in construction, andconveniently adjusted for either use.

The invention consists in the hinged dropframe and the drop-slats,provided with the connectingcleats and the guard-pins, in combinationwith the long slats, the cross'slat, and the frame of the bedstead; inthe mattress, having the middle portion of its foot part cut away andreplaced by aseparate piece, to correspond with the drop-frame and thedrop-slats ot' the bed-bottom; and in the combination of the vessel, thechute, and the seat with the hinged drop-frame, and with the prongs ofthe mattress, as hereinafter fully described.

Arepresents the posts, B the side rails, and G the end rails, of abedstead, about the construction of which parts there is nothing new.

I To the lower part of the inner sides of the end rails G are attachedcleats D, the upper edges of which are notched to receive the ends ofthe slats E, which are placed longitudinally with the bedstead, and themiddle parts of which are attached to a cross-bar, F. To the end rails(J, above the ends of the slats E, are attached triangular cleats G, toprevent the said ends ofthe slats E from being raised by the action ofthe cross-bar F when the whole weight rests upon one side of the bed.The two middle slats E are cut 0d at or near the cross-slat F, and thecut-off parts H are connected by short cross-strips h. To the outeredges of the foot-ends of the slats H are attached pins h, which enternotches in the upper edge of the clcat D, to keep the said ends of theslats H from slipping out of their places when their other ends aredropped to the floor. The other ends of the drop-slats H are supported,when raised into a horizontal position, by a small frame, I, which ishinged to the cross-slat F, and is secured, when raised, by two buttons,'J, pivoted to the adjacent slats E, so' that they may be turned beneaththe side bars of the said drop-frame I. The inner edge of the free barof the frame I is beveled off to enter a notch formed in the lower sidesof the ends of the slats H, to preventthe said ends from slipping offwhen the foot end of Slld slats is dropped to the floor. K is themattress, the middle portion of the foot part of which, above thedrop-slats II and the dropframe I, is cutout, and made in a separatepiece, 70, so that it can be dropped with the slats H, or removed, whendesired. L is avessel, made of such a size as to fit into the drop-frameI, and has outwardly-projecting flanges formed around its upper edge torest upon the said frame I. M is a chute of such a sizeas to pass downthrough the space between the prongs of the mattress K, and ofsuch alength that its lower end may enter the vessel L, while its upper edgeis upon a level with the upper-surface of the said mattress K. The upperend of the chute M is attached to a board or plate, N, of such a-lengthas to rest upon the prongs of the mattress, and support the chute M andg the invalid when using the device.

The invalid is first turned to one side, the hinged frame I unlatched,and thus both the frame H and its superposed'part K of the mattress areallowedto fall, the latter being slid down on the former, so as to allowthe vessel L, together with the chute M, to be applied,

and the vessel to pass through. the relatched frame I.

By this arrangement the invalid can evacuate Without rising or leavingthe bed, and a reversal of proceeding places the whole bed in its normalcondition.

Having thus described my invention, '1 claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. The hinged drop-frame I and the dropnletsH,provided with the connecting-cleats 72) and the guard-pins W, incombination with thelong slats E, the cross-slat F, and the frame of thebedstead, substantially as herein shown and described. 2. The mattressK, having the middle portion. of its foot particnt away, and replaced bya separate piece, 70, to correspond 'With the drop-frame I and thedrop-slats H of the bedbottom, substantially as herein shown anddescribed.

, 3. The combination of the vessel L and the chute M with the hingeddrop-frame I and the mattress K, substantially as herein shown anddescribed.

WILLIAM HUNTRESS.

Witnesses:

Mormon L. SPOTSWOOD, HENRY A. WISE.

